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New York Seagrass Experts Meeting New York Seagrass Experts Meeting Meeting Proceedings and Priority Recommendations May 22, 2007 Photo by: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County Marine Program East Setauket, NY Acknowledgements This meeting was sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York Sea Grant, Peconic Estuary Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension, The Nature Conservancy and the Long Island Sound Study. A special thank you to members of the Steering Committee for their many months of strategic planning, and the Experts Panel for their unsurpassed dedication and enthusiasm. Table of Contents Introduction 1 Workshop Format 2 Agenda 4 Appendix A: New York State Seagrass Taskforce Legislation 6 Appendix B: Expert Panel Bios 10 Appendix C: Presenter Bios 14 Appendix D: List of Meeting Attendees 17 Appendix E: Presentation Abstracts/Slides 20 Appendix F: Research, Management, and Monitoring Priorities 68 Appendix G: Pre-Meeting Potential Research Questions 73 Appendix H: Other Supplemental Materials 76 Maps Research Conducted in the Peconic Estuary Regarding Eelgrass Actions and Recommendations Involving Eelgrass in the Peconic Estuary Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan Local Management Affecting Eelgrass in the Peconic Estuary New York State Management Impacting Eelgrass Long Island Estuary Systems: Snapshot Introduction Seagrasses are rooted, underwater vascular plants which grow in shallow coastal waters. While several different species of seagrasses exist, the two most commonly found species in New York’s coastal waters are eelgrass (Zostera marina) and widgeon grass (Ruppia maritime). These submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV’s), are considered to be some of the most productive ecosystems in the world and are biologically, ecologically and economically important. Seagrass beds stabilize benthic sediments, support nutrient cycling, oxygenate waters, improve water quality, and provide critical habitat for aquatic species (e.g., fluke, bluefish, bay scallops and hard clams). The presence of seagrass is often used as an indicator of estuarine health and high water quality. Long Island marine waters once supported bountiful populations of seagrass. The onset of a wasting disease (Labyrinthula zostorae) in the early 1930’s was responsible for the significant decline of eelgrass beds along the entire Atlantic seaboard. Light shading effects of Brown Tide occurrences in the 1980’s further decimated eelgrass populations. Long Island seagrass populations may also continue to be impacted by nutrient enrichment, fishing and shellfishing practices, and recreational use of shallow waterways. Despite management and restoration efforts and significant improvements in water quality, populations are still declining and have not rebounded. Monitoring efforts in Long Island Sound, the Peconic Bays, and the South Shore Estuary indicate that these individual estuarine systems have each experienced separate and distinct trends. If qualitative and quantitative improvements in eelgrass beds are sought, these systems and their respective trends must be examined further. Acknowledging the importance of seagrass and the necessity to protect and restore this valuable natural resource, Governor George Pataki enacted Chapter 404 of the Laws of 2006 on July 26, 2006, which established a New York Seagrass Task Force within the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. This Task Force is charged with examining the current state and make recommendations on means of restoring, preserving, and properly managing seagrass. Task Force meetings have since commenced in early 2008; the legislation can be found in Appendix A. In the meantime, several representatives from various agencies and organizations decided to proceed with heightening awareness of declining seagrass trends, and drawing attention to the need of directing resources to foster an increased understanding. Consequently, a Steering Committee was formed. Members included: Rick Balla, United States Environmental Protection Agency/ Peconic Estuary Program Marci Bortman, The Nature Conservancy Jerry Churchill, Adelphi University Karen Chytalo, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Marine Resources Corey Garza, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Long Island Sound Study Jack Mattice, New York Sea Grant Brad Peterson, State University of New York Chris Pickerell, Cornell Cooperative Extension Cornelia Schlenk, New York Sea Grant Laura Stephenson, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation/Peconic Estuary Program 1 This Steering Committee would organize a Seagrass Experts Meeting that would help establish a body of background information look at past and current trends, facilitate discussion between local seagrass experts, and gain insights from nationally renowned seagrass scientists and managers. Meeting Format The main goal of the Seagrass Experts Meeting was to have a scientific panel of experts reach a consensus about what information gaps would be the most important to fill in order for New York to move forward most efficiently and effectively toward preserving and/or restoring seagrass habitat. The first step was to establish a panel of seagrass experts. In an attempt to create a diverse panel, individuals were selected based on unique expertise and complementary knowledge and experience. The Steering Committee was extremely fortunate in being able to secure the interest and participation of several key, nationally-recognized seagrass experts; some located on Long Island, while others based in Alabama, Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire and North Carolina (see Figure 1). Brief biographies of Expert Panel members can be found in Appendix B. The Expert Panel was asked to attend a meeting to learn about conditions in New York, synthesis and integrate information through discussion, and then develop recommendations on research, management and monitoring priorities. Figure 1- Experts Panel (L to R): Paul Carlson (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), Bradley Peterson (Stony Brook University), William Dennison (University of Maryland), Kenneth Heck, Jr., (University of South Alabama), Mark Fonseca (NOAA National Ocean Service), Chris Pickerell (Cornell Cooperative Extension), A. Coolidge Churchill (Adelphi University), Fred Short (University of New Hampshire). 2 The next step was to identify local scientists, researchers, and managers to present the local context and set the stage for the Experts Panel’s deliberations. These individuals were to address the relevant physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of Long Island Sound, the Peconic Bays, and the South Shore Estuary, as well as past and current status of seagrasses in those systems. Brief biographies of those presenters may be found in Appendix C. The New York Seagrass Experts Meeting was held on May 22, 2007 at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bureau of Marine Resources Headquarters located in East Setauket, New York. To keep the Meeting as focused and productive as possible, invitees were limited essentially to the Steering Committee, the local presenters, and the Experts Panel (see Appendix D). The agenda (see following page) began with presentations of local information to set the stage (see Appendix E for presentation abstracts and slides). Question and answer periods followed, proceeded by Expert Panel deliberations which continued late into the evening. The output of the Expert Panel deliberations was a table of priority actions (see Appendix F) which identifies: • The ranked order of priority; • Whether it is a research, monitoring or management activity; • What the recommended action is; • Tasks to be undertaken to accomplish the action; • An estimate of the time period required; and • An estimate of the costs involved Expectations of the Steering Committee were well exceeded. An incredible amount of information was shared and valuable new connections between individuals made. Most importantly, priority recommendations reflect those of informed, interested, and impartial experts. Those recommended actions provide a needed, well-founded direction for New York’s future efforts to preserve and restore the seagrass beds of its estuarine waters. 3 AGENDA Seagrass Experts Meeting May 22nd, 2007 NYSDEC Bureau of Marine Resources 8:00am Registration and Continental Breakfast 8:30am Welcome Jack Mattice, Ph.D- Director, NY Sea Grant Overview of Meeting Karen Chytalo- Section Chief, Marine Habitat Protection, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Marine Resources 8:45am Snapshot of Long Island Marine Waters: Physical Characteristics Short presentations, each followed by questions/discussion 1. Water Quality-Nutrients, Phytoplankton (approx 8:45-9:00am) Chris Gobler, Ph.D.- Associate Professor, Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University 2. Linking Groundwater, Pesticides and SAV’s (approx 9:00-9:15am) Ron Paulsen- Hydrogeologist. Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Office of Water Resources 3. Marine Sediment Geo-chemistry (approx 9:15-9:30am) Kirk Cochran, Ph.D.- Professor, Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University 4. Habitat Modification & Loss of Suspension Feeders (approx 9:30- 9:45am) Brad Peterson, Ph.D.- Assistant Professor, Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University 9:55am Break Display of current and historical eelgrass maps 10:10am Status, Historical Distributions, and Current Management and Research Approaches 1. South Shore (approx 10:10-10:25am)
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